Tengah's development will go with novel smart technologies

Smart technologies will be used to develop Tengah, the first public housing estate project in Singapore since Punggol.

Computer simulation software will employ 3D models to simulate the interaction of urban microclimatic conditions such as wind flow, temperature fluctuations and solar irradiance with one another, as well as their combined effect on the surrounding urban landscape.

This means that planners from the Housing & Development Board (HDB) could use findings from the simulations to determine the ideal configuration of buildings for improved wind flow, lowering ambient temperatures. Areas that receive more heat from the sun can also be identified in the computer model, and more greenery can be introduced at those spots to bring down the heat through natural ventilation.

Previously tested out on a smaller scale in some areas in Punggol, the smart planning software will now be employed on a town-wide level for the first time in Tengah.

"Being the newest HDB town, Tengah will provide a new canvas for HDB to apply sustainable initiatives and smart technologies from the outset," HDB said.

Design strategies and construction methods that promote the efficient use of water, energy and other resources will also be implemented, it added. Featuring a car-free town centre, lush greenery and community farms, the first batch of flats in the town (which will be about the size of Bishan) will be launched in 2018.

The development will include energy and water conservation facilities both within and outside residents' homes, such as smart lighting in common areas and eco-pedestals in flats. A dual bicycle rack system will be provided to encourage green commuting, as part of Singapore's drive to go car-lite.

Tengah will also have a pneumatic waste conveyance system installed, which will promote a more hygienic and efficient method of waste collection and management, HDB said. The system was first test-bedded in Yuhua last year.

It uses high-speed air suction to transport household waste via an underground pipe network to a centralised bin centre. The automated system will eliminate the need for manual waste collection, and minimise waste scattering and pest issues.

Adapted from: The Business Times, 10 September 2016